Just when I finished my review of the Fitbit Alta, I see the introduction of the Alta HR from Fitbit fanpage. Such a great news for Fitbit fans.
Fitbit branded the Alta HR as “the slimmest fitness tracker with heart rate monitor”. Sound fascinating huh?
The Alta HR is somewhere between the original Alta tracker and the Fitbit Charge 2 in terms of features and price. Will it rock the boat? Should you choose the Alta HR or go with the Charge 2 which has equal price? Check out my review below!

Fitbit Alta HR Release Date

Fitbit first announced the new Alta HR on 6th March, 2017. It was released 1 year after the launch of its predecessor Fitbit Alta (March 2016).
The device is in stock on 26th March on Amazon and Fitbit.com.

Fitbit Alta HR Price

It’s priced at $149.95 – same price as Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Charge HR and $20 more expensive than the old version Fitbit Alta. Why the Alta is priced equally with the Charge 2 and Charge HR while it offers less features? Well, it may cost more to make an even smaller and more compact heart rate monitor in the Alta, hence the price.

Fitbit Alta HR Design Review

As you may know, Fitbit puts fashion first with the Alta, making it the slimmest stylish activity tracker. People love the design of the Alta, that’s why Fitbit doesn’t change much in the design of Fitbit Alta HR.

Though integrated the heart rate monitor sensor, Fitbit managed to keep the tracker 15mm in width, making it slimmer 25% than the Fitbit Charge 2. The Flex 2 is even slimmer, at 11mm, but it doesn’t have a screen, thus inconvenient to view information.

The band is interchangeable, allowing you to snap to other colors or metal, leather as you wish. A good news for those want to upgrade from Alta to Alta HR is that the Alta bands fit the new Alta HR so your strap collection is still in use.
Check out this design review of Fitbit Alta.
The difference from the old Alta is that Alta HR uses original buckle strap. Fitbit has included a clasp for the elastomer strap this time, making it feel more secure and better for heart rate monitoring.

Fitbit Alta HR Features Review – Pros and Cons

Fitbit Alta HR Features Review – Pros

Heart rate monitor
This is the key feature of the Alta HR. The tracker continually records your heart rate 24/24, letting you know your resting heart rate and showing real-time heart rate during your workout session.Sleep tracking
Fitbit Alta HR is launched with a new feature that has never been seen in other Fitbit devices. That is “Sleep Stages”. It uses the optical heart-rate sensor to show you the amount of time you’ve spent in REM, light sleep or heavy sleep, how often you wake up mid-snooze, so you can monitor how good your night has been. What I find very interesting is that it gives you the sleep trends of other people your same age and gender and offers personalized guidance on how to improve your slumber.

This feature will also be coming to the Charge 2 and Blaze later this spring.Floors climbed tracking
The great news is Fitbit has added floor climbed tracking to the Alta HR, which was missed in the Alta.Battery life
Thumb up to the 7-day battery life. Given that it is integrated with a heart rate monitor, the Alta HR lasts even longer than the Alta and Charge 2 (5 days).

Fitbit Alta HR Features Review – Cons

Not Waterproof
It seems that Fitbit keeps ignoring this function. So for those wish to use a Fitbit tracker for swimming, your choice comes down to the Flex 2.No guided breathing sessions
Like other fitness tracker devices of Fitbit, the Alta HR has Smart Track which automatically detects various activities like running and biking. However, it was not integrated the guided breathing sessions like the Charge 2.Not having a timer
For some people that are familiar with the timer in the Charge HR, they may feel disappointed to know that there’s no such feature in the Alta HR.

Fitbit Alta HR Review Conclusion

I have to agree that the Fitbit Alta HR is actually is the best slimmest fitness tracker with heart rate monitor. It’s slender, it’s fashionable and it can assist you work out perfectly. If you are having a Fitbit Alta, don’t hesitate to upgrade.
If you want a Fitbit that has more functions, then Fitbit Charge 2 is still the number one choice. You can view Fitbit Charge 2 Pros and Cons here
If you are considering between Fitbit Alta HR and the new Garmin vivosmart 3, you can check this post for more information.
Updated price on Amazon for your reference:

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I’m Samuel PC. I created this blog to Review pros and cons of Fitness Trackers and Smart Watch compared with other devices in the same price range. It would help you choose one that perfectly fits you. Believe me, you don't have time to read details of every wearable in the world.
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